Seventh of Seven
by SilverLining1294
Summary: Ginny was used to being ignored, what with six brothers ahead of her, but now she's showing everyone she's not just the youngest Weasley. She's the starting chaser for the Holyhead Harpies.


Ginny was used to being the least noticed of the Weasley clan, it was a factor she had grown up with and by the age of seventeen she was incredibly used to it. A bit tired, really, but used to it. With Bill paving ways through Gringotts, Charlie producing award winning research about more dragons than anyone else before him, Percy running through the ranks at the ministry faster than anyone else his age, Fred and George founding and producing the most profitable and noteworthy pranks ever, and Ron saving the Wizarding World with Harry, Ginny was used to holding onto the sole identifier that kept her separate from her brothers and it was simply the gender she had been born with.

Sure, she was brilliant at spells, but so were all of her brothers. She had been prefect and Head Girl, but Bill and Percy had both been Head Boy. She was captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but Charlie had been too. She had been part of the DA, but so had three of her brothers. No matter what she did, one of her siblings had done it better than her. Even her relationship with Harry was overshadowed by the seven year friendship Ron had held onto with him. Not even being possessed by Voldemort set her apart from her siblings, what with Ron being taken hold of (no matter the fact that it had just influenced his emotions) by the horcrux.

So when Ginny was drafted by the Holyhead Harpies to be one of their starting chasers and reserve seeker, she kept it to herself. She didn't even tell Harry, who was busy rebuilding the Wizarding world and going through Auror training. Ginny hardly saw him except for when he came back to their newly acquired flat and collapsed into bed next to her. He hardly asked about her day, and if he did she would usually give him a one word answer and steer the conversation towards what _he_ had done that day. Ginny wasn't upset about his lack of interest in her activities, she knew he loved her more than anything, he was just incredibly busy, and understandably so. The Harpies had kept her draft on the down low, wanting to keep everything a surprise until opening day. So, every day she got up and had a cuppa with Harry before he ran off to do God-knows-what, then she got into her Quidditch kit and apparated off to the pitch to train with the team. This had been going on for almost four months, and the opening match was approaching. The date was going to be August 28th, the Saturday before the Hogwarts students would be returning to the now-rebuilt castle, and the stadium was sold out.

Ginny was pretty excited, not only for the fact that maybe, just maybe, she would finally be able to pave her own path, differentiable from her brothers, but for the thrill of playing in a league match. A week before the match she was sitting at the table with Harry, having their morning cup of tea, and breakfast when he turned towards her. A light was in his eyes that she hadn't seen in months.

"Hey, Ginny, can we talk?"

"What's on your mind, Harry?"

He was practically jumping in his seat, and she smiled at his giddiness. "I know I haven't really been giving you the attention you deserve, and I'm sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it, babe, I know how busy you've been."

Harry shrugged, like defeating Voldemort and piecing the country back together was a walk in the park, "Well I have a surprise for you, next Saturday we're going to the season opener with the rest of the family, box seats."

Ginny froze, she hadn't thought about the fact that her Quidditch fanatic boyfriend was probably going to be at the first match of the season. She composed herself quickly, "That's amazing! I can't believe it!" She flew forward and wrapped her arms around him, and Harry instantly reciprocated the hug.

"It's the Harpies against Puddlemere, Oliver even said he could probably get the two of us down in the locker rooms with the teams afterward."

Ginny was fully aware that she would be playing against Harry's old team captain, but she was determined (and under contract) to keep her place on the team a secret.

"That would be brilliant! I have a meeting with Luna that day, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I left for the match."

"Bring her along if you want, we've got the whole box. Now I gotta run, love you!" Harry kissed her soundly before apparating off to the Ministry. Ginny waited a few minutes to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything and was coming back before she crossed to the floo and threw in some powder and yelled Luna's address.

"Hello, Ginny! So nice to see you," Luna said kneeling in front of where Ginny's head floated in the fire.

"Luna, I need a favor," Ginny gasped, a little disoriented from the spinning of the floo.

"What do you need?"

"Harry got us box seats to the opener, and I need you to cover for me." Luna was the only person Ginny had told about her spot on the team, and she had sworn she wouldn't tell a soul.

"What's your plan?"

"I told him I have a thing with you during the morning, but we would meet up with him at the match. I'll send him a Patronus that I'm running late, then he'll kind of get it once I get on the pitch. You're welcome to come, by the way; he bought the whole box, or was given it, I don't know."

"So I'll just enter the box once they announce the teams, don't worry I've got you covered."

"Thank you, Luna! You're a life-saver."

"No problem, Ginny."

Ginny's nerves were on edge, it was the morning of the game, and she was a mess. She sat clutching the bench in the Harpies' locker room. It was a good thing she had come up with an excuse to be absent for the morning, because she had been at the pitch since six in the morning. It was ten thirty and the game was scheduled to start at eleven.

"Weasley!" Ginny looked up as her coach approached her.

"Yea, coach?"

"You're on seeker today, I just sent Turner home, she's got a fever of 105."

"I'm what?" Ginny squeaked and her coach's usually hard face softened. "I know it's sudden, but we've got you trained for both. You're going to be brilliant. Go get the seeker kit on, and stretch. Drink water as well."

Ginny did as she was told, swapping her chaser's gloves for seeker's, and pulling on the slightly more aerodynamic seeker kit. Luckily her broom was made for chasers and seekers, so she wouldn't have to swap that out.

She was just about to head over to the Captain's meeting when she remembered to send Harry her Patronus to tell him she would be a few minutes late before she stowed her wand in its holster and crossed the locker room where the team was gathering.

"Where's Ginny?" Ron asked and Harry bit his lip.

"I dunno, she said she would be here." Instantly what Ginny had dubbed 'his worry-wart instinct' kicked into overdrive. What if she was hurt? What if one of the last few Death Eaters running about had kidnapped her? He was just about to apparated to the Auror office and demand a full-scale search party when her doe Patronus (which had changed from a horse during the Battle of Hogwarts) appeared in front of him.

"Hey, I'm running a few minutes late. I'll be there at about five after with Luna. Save me a seat!"

Harry instantly relaxed after hearing her voice, and message. It hadn't contained any of their code words, so Harry settled down into the front row of the box and turned to Ron to talk odds.

"I've got twenty galleons that Puddlemere scores the most goals, but the Harpies get the snitch."

"I'll take that bet! Puddlemere has a top-notch seeker this year, and with Wood as keeper they're unstoppable."

"Turner is pretty decent; she's got the most catches in the league."

"Ah, but young Harry, Turner was sent home, they've got their reserve in today," George smirked, and Harry's stomach dropped. He almost wished he hadn't shaken on the bet, but a bet was a bet.

"They're announcing the teams," Hermione shushed them and Harry instantly turned towards the pitch, eager to watch the game he had missed so much.

"For Puddlemere United; Warner, Warner, Flint, Spruce, Lee, Wood, and Harper!" The announcer yelled as the team darted out to circle the field in their signature blue kits.

"For the Holyhead Harpies; Morgan, Griffiths, Sharp, Jones, Archer, King, and introducing, Weasley!" The team of green darted out onto the field, doing their own runs around the pitch, and Harry was pretty sure his jaw was in his lap.

"Did they say Weasley?" Ron asked eyes wider than when they had confronted the troll.

"Yea, they did," Harry managed to gasp as his eyes darted around the field and landed on the jersey with Weasley emblazoned on the back. Sure enough the signature red hair that he knew so well was plaited back and Ginny was flying around the field on the Firebolt 2.0 he had just gotten her. She flew in front of the box, a huge grin planted on her face as she waved at everyone.

"Did anyone know about this?" Harry asked, turning to look at everyone. Everyone shook their heads, all in various stages of disbelief.

"I did," Luna said as she plopped into the seat next to Harry.

"Did you?"

"Mhm, Ginny told me back in June about her draft. Although she's only the reserve seeker, she's a starting chaser; I guess the seeker got sick. But don't worry, I was the only one that knew."

Harry watched as the teams landed and the captains shook hands, his eyes glued to Ginny.

"I just don't understand why she didn't say anything," Harry trailed off, frowning.

"She was under contract, and she figured everyone was so busy with other things that it wasn't that important."

The Bludgers and Snitch had been let into the air and the referee was grabbing the Quaffle, about to throw it skyward.

Harry felt terrible, he knew he had been neglecting Ginny, he was just so busy. But the fact that she had kept something as big and important as this under wraps because she didn't think people would care was unforgivable of him.

"And the Quaffle is caught by Morgan and she's instantly off towards Puddlemere's hoops."

Harry watched as the Harpies' chaser darted towards Oliver, feinting to the left and throwing right. The Quaffle missed Oliver's outstretched fingers by about a centimeter.

"And the Harpies are up by ten!"

"Holy shit, Wood missed it," Fred gasped.

Harry was just as shocked as Fred and George were, but his eyes shifted to where Ginny was darting high above the field.

The game was a dirty one, both teams were scoring left and right, and the Harpies' keeper was playing with a broken wrist. The score was 300 to 150, after the first goal against Oliver; he had stepped up his game and was on top form. Although the fact that the Harpies' keeper was playing one handed could have been a contributing factor to the large score margin.

Suddenly, Ginny was darting across the field in line with the three other chasers, all four of them were bent flat over their brooms and were yards in front of Puddlemere's, male and slightly more bulky chasers, the three Harpies' chasers were rapidly tossing the Quaffle back and forth as Ginny shot forward ahead of them. She flew straight at Oliver, going full speed.

"Is she going to foul him?" Ron asked and Harry smirked.

"No she's feinting, making him flinch," Harry said just as no more than six inches away from Oliver she literally dropped through the air like she was free-falling. Just as Ginny had been planning Oliver flinched in spite of himself and one of the chasers scored a goal, Harry found himself on his feet as Ginny whipped her broom around, her back facing the ground at one point, as she did a hairpin turn. She shot through the air, dodging a Bludger, and then her arm was outstretched and she was gripping the small golden Snitch.

"She's got the Snitch!" Harry yelled as Ginny looped the field the Snitch held high.

"And the Holyhead Harpies win the match 360 to 350!" The announcer yelled and then Ginny had disappeared in a mid-air hug.

"I didn't even see it," Harry gasped and Ron laughed.

"I had no idea she had gotten so good."

"I think Oliver is going to drown himself," Fred laughed, pointing.

Oliver was on the ground, face in his hands, his teammates patting his back as they waited for the Harpies to land.

The Harpies pulled out of their hug, all descending to the field except for Ginny, who darted over to their box.

Harry stood up on top of his chair as she shot straight into his arms.

"You did amazing, Gin," He said against her ear.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," She said back pulling away slightly.

"I'm sorry I didn't ask," Harry frowned but pressed his lips against hers.

"Join me?" She asked as she mounted her broom.

Harry leaped on the back, wrapping his arms around her and ignoring the calls from the rest of the box. They descended to the field and landed in front of Oliver.

"That was brilliant, Ginny," Oliver said holding his hand out.

"Aw, come here, you," Ginny said handing Harry her broom and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I heard you're actually starting Chaser," Oliver said squeezing her for a few seconds before pulling away.

"That's me!"

"Well, the Harpies have a really solid team this year,"

"Thanks, Oliver," Ginny pecked his cheek before shaking hands with the rest of his team.

"I guess you won't need me to get you down to the locker rooms," Oliver smiled over at Harry who laughed.

"Guess not, sorry I was just as surprised as you."

"No problem, see you later."

The teams mounted their brooms once more, did one last loop of the pitch before returning to the ground and went to the locker rooms.

Ginny was pretty sure that if she had to wipe out a thousand Dementors she probably could have with how she was feeling, she was on top of the world. She couldn't believe they had won, and she had caught the Snitch. She had beat Oliver.

Despite how amazing she felt, she couldn't help glancing over at Harry every few seconds. He was smiling, his face alight, but she could see the shadows hiding in his eyes. They would need to talk the moment they got back to the flat.

Her family threw an impromptu party in celebration of her first win and place on the team in general, her mum made her all of her favorites and for the first time since before the war her family was together and having a good time.

When it was getting close to ten, people started to disperse, congratulating her and then apparating home.

"We ought to go as well," Ginny smiled, pulling Harry to his feet.

They said their goodbyes and then Ginny grasped onto Harry's arm as he apparated them home. Ginny deposited her broom by the door and spun around in Harry's arms, hers locked around his neck.

"I love you," She smiled and he instantly repeated her words. "Alright, spill, what's bothering you?"

Harry scowled, "You weren't supposed to notice."

"I always notice," Ginny grinned; she prided herself on the fact that apart from Hermione she could read Harry the best.

"I'm just so sorry, Ginny! I feel terrible; I've been so busy with the Ministry and everything. I've totally neglected you."

Ginny shrugged, "It really isn't that big of a deal, what you were doing is more important."

Harry sighed scrubbing his face with his hands, "Maybe to other wizards, but not to me. You're signed to a league team, that's huge. You're playing professional Quidditch."

Ginny shrugged again, Harry paced away his fists clenching.

"Harry!" Ginny yelled at the sight of the light crackling off of him. "Harry, please calm down."

Harry was faced away from her, the air disturbed by small cracks of yellow light, which were getting more violent by the second.

"Harry James Potter!" Ginny yelled running across the room and locking her arms around him, she didn't care if this was probably the stupidest thing she could have done in this situation, and she didn't particularly care. "Harry, I love you, please calm down."

He was breathing heavily, but slowly the crackling light diminished, and then disappeared.

"Sorry, sorry," He gasped.

"It's okay; just take a few deep breaths." Harry did as he was told, sitting on the couch and breathing deeply.

"Harry, I'm used to being in the background, okay? I've accepted it, you don't have to feel bad about this."

Harry stared at her, his green eyes glistening somewhat. "You remember when you spent about a year convincing me that the way the Dursley's had treated me was abusive?"

"They made a four year old cook breakfast and practically starved you!" Ginny burst, instantly firing up on the subject of the Dursley's.

"Well this is me trying to convince you that it is not okay to be ignored, and shoved to the background. I went half my life dealing with that, and I won't be one of the people doing that to you."

"I've grown up with six brothers, it's second nature. Everything I've done, they already have. My only identifier is that I have a vagina as opposed to a penis."

Harry choked out a laugh, "That's not true. Can any of your brothers produce the best Bat-Bogey hex anyone has ever seen? Did any of your brothers go through a year at Hogwarts with two Death Eaters torturing people left and right? I could go on for days."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "They've done more important things, really, it isn't a big deal."

"Yes. It is. I swear to God if you try to tell me it isn't I'll start going on about how the Dursley's weren't really that bad."

Ginny glared at him, biting her lip, "Totally isn't the same thing."

"Totally is."

And deep down inside, much like she knew that Harry knew that the Dursley's were abusive, she knew that it wasn't okay. She knew that she should let Harry praise her, should recognize that deep down it hurt that she had been practically ignored all summer by one of the only people whose attention actually mattered to her. That the fact that her accomplishments were hardly ever praised, and if they were it lasted for a day and was usually accompanied with 'I remember when, insert one of her brother's names, did this', shouldn't be something she's used to.

To her horror Ginny felt tears springing to her eyes, as soon as she realized it she violently swiped at the treacherous droplets of water.

"Oh, Gin," Harry pulled her into his lip and she nestled her face into his shoulder.

"You're right, it isn't okay," She sobbed and she felt wetness hitting the top of her head, realized that Harry must be crying as well.

"I'm sorry, I was a terrible boyfriend. But I'm not going to let it happen again, the Wizarding world can rebuild without needing every moment of my time."

Ginny smiled into the cotton of his shirt, and nodded, "That sounds amazing."

"It's a deal."

Harry kept his word, he only put full time in on Mondays and Wednesdays, and never during one of Ginny's matches. And at the end of the season The Holyhead Harpies secured their spot in the Championship and Ginny was petitioned by the English national team, and would be playing in the World Cup come the following August, the first woman to ever play in the World Cup after only their rookie season. The Harpies went on to win the Championship, Ginny had played seeker once again, and had caught the Snitch less than a foot from the ground.

The team had tackled her and hugged her and screamed her name, then shoved her away from them and towards Harry who was down on one knee and proposing to her. She had tackled him backwards and kissed him before he had been able to get the ring on her finger. Their engagement hadn't lasted long, and when Ginny had mounted her broom at the World Cup her kit had spelled 'Potter' across the back.

Ginny had not only been the first Weasley signed to a professional Quidditch team, but she had set records that would stay unbroken for decades to come. No longer was she that 'Weasley girl' who dated Harry Potter. She was Ginny Potter, and had set a record for amount of records broken.

_A.N._

_Just a quick one-shot that I decided to throw out there, please let me know how you liked it._

_Alexis _


End file.
